Serbia
Country Specific Information
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August 14, 2011

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Serbia is strengthening its democratic, economic, and social institutions, but it still faces many challenges. In February 2008, Kosovo, which used to be part of Serbia, declared itself an independent country and was recognized as such by the United States. You should be aware that Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence; the dispute will only affect foreign travelers who plan to visit Kosovo. For more information on Kosovo, please read our Country Specific Information for Kosovo.

Serbia has many tourist and travel facilities like hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, and gas stations, but the quality varies significantly from place to place. Some facilities are not up to Western standards. Read the Department of State’s Background Notes on Serbia for additional information.

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SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP) / EMBASSY LOCATION: If you are going to live in or visit Serbia, please take the time to tell our Embassy about your trip. If you enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements, and can help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency.

The contact information for the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade is:

U.S. Embassy Belgrade
50 Kneza Milosa Street
11000 Belgrade
Serbia
Telephone: 381-11-3619-344
Facsimile: 381-11-3615-989
Email: belgradeacs@state.gov

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ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: You need a valid passport to enter Serbia. U.S. citizens don’t need visas to stay in Serbia for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. If you want to stay in Serbia longer than 90 days during any 180-day period, you need to apply for a temporary residence permit at the local police station with authority over the place you are staying in Serbia. You cannot apply for a residence permit outside of Serbia. To apply for a temporary residence permit, you will need to provide a copy of your birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable) and an official police report from your state of residence in the U.S. or from law enforcement authorities in the country where you live permanently, if outside of the U.S. You need to get the police report no more than 90 days before you apply for your residence permit. All of your documents should have an "apostille" stamp from the government office where you got the document. To learn more about apostilles and other official documents, please see our judicial assistance note.

Visit the Embassy of Serbia website for the most current visa information. If you have specific questions about visas, residency or work permits, please contact the Serbian Embassy in Washington, D.C. at (202) 332-0333 or fax (202) 332-3933; 2134 Kalorama Road, Washington, D.C. 20008. Serbia also has Consulates General in Chicago and New York City; both give out information on travel and long-term stays in Serbia. You can reach the Serbian Consulate General in Chicago at (312) 670-6707 or fax (312) 670-6787; info@scgchicago.org; 201 East Ohio Street, Suite 200, Chicago, Illinois 60611. You can reach the Serbian Consulate General in New York City at (212) 596-4241 or fax (212) 596-4363; Office@SerbiaConsulateNYC.com; 62 West 45th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036.

When you arrive in Serbia, the immigration police should stamp your passport. Please make sure to get an entry stamp when you enter Serbia, and don’t lose it; it is proof that you entered Serbia legally and starts the clock on the 90 days you can stay in Serbia legally without a visa. If you get a new passport while you are in Serbia you will need to keep the old one with the stamp to prove that you are in the country legally. If you lose your stamped passport, the Serbian police won’t let you leave the country until you get an exit visa from the Ministry of Interior. If you use different passports or other IDs to enter and exit Serbia (for example, entering with a Serbia passport or Serbian "National ID Card," then trying to exit with a U.S. passport) the immigration police might not know that you entered legally and may hold you for questioning, so it’s a good idea to enter and leave with the same passport.

Serbian immigration police do not recognize the authority of Kosovo’s government, borders, or immigration officers. Travelers coming to Serbia by land through Kosovo have had problems with Serbian border authorities at checkpoints on the borders between Kosovo and Serbia; Serbian immigration police have refused to accept travelers’ Kosovo entry stamps, claiming that the travelers were in Serbian territory illegally, and refusing to allow them to travel any farther into Serbia. If you are planning to travel by land to Serbia, you can avoid this situation by entering the country through one of its non-Kosovo border-crossing stations.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Serbia.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.

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THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: Public demonstrations by political parties, unions, and other groups happen in Serbia from time to time. Violent demonstrations have occurred as recently as August 2011. You should know that even demonstrations that start out peacefully can quickly turn violent. U.S. citizens traveling or living in Serbia should avoid demonstrations if possible, and maintain caution if within the area of demonstrations. There is often a heavier than usual police presence in areas where demonstrations are taking place and traffic may slow or stop until well after the demonstration ends.

Anti-American feelings are strongest in Serbia around the anniversary dates of certain events and on some national holidays. Among these dates and holidays are March 24 (the beginning of the 1999 NATO bombing campaign), February 17 (the date of the 2008 independence of Kosovo), and ethnic Serb holidays such as St. Vitus’s Day (Vidovdan, celebrated June 28).

Wins or losses in sporting events can also trigger violence. U.S. citizens were not targets of any recent sports-related violence, but in a few isolated cases, soccer hooligans and petty criminals singled out and attacked citizens of other Western countries. We urge U.S. citizens to be vigilant if attending, or in the vicinity of, sporting events in Serbia.

Any Serbian-Kosovo border crossing or area within five kilometers of the border between Serbia and Kosovo, as well as the western Presevo Valley, which are all areas south of Vranje and west of the E75 highway stretching south to the Macedonian border, are still considered Restricted Travel areas by the U.S. Embassy. U.S. Government employees are only permitted to travel to these areas on official business. If you are traveling near the Kosovo border or in the western Presevo Valley, you should enroll with the U.S. Embassy and check in with the Embassy regularly for the latest security updates.

Belgrade nightclubs are getting more and more popular with foreign tourists. If you decide to go to a nightclub, you should know that they can be crowded and may not be up to Western standards for maximum occupancy and fire safety.

Stay up to date:

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CRIME: Belgrade does not have high levels of street crime, but pick-pocketing and purse snatchings do occasionally occur. People traveling to Serbia should take the same precautions in Belgrade as they would in any large city in the United States. Most crimes happen because people let their guard down. Unlocked cars, items left in plain sight in a car, open gates, and open garage doors make attractive targets for thieves. Car thefts or break-ins can happen any time, day or night, in all sections of Belgrade and other parts of the country. Using security devices like auto alarms, fuel-line interrupter switches, or steering-wheel locking devices may discourage or frustrate auto theft, but no device can guarantee 100% protection against determined thieves. In Serbia, difficult economic conditions have sparked the growth of an organized criminal class, and violent crime is most often associated with organized crime activities. Tourists are almost never the targets of violent crime, but Mafia-style reprisals have occurred, including in places where tourists gather such as hotels, restaurants, shops, and busy streets. When those kinds of crimes happen, innocent bystanders may become unintended victims of crime. You should be especially vigilant in city centers here, just as you would anywhere else in the world.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law. 

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VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. We can:

  • Replace a stolen passport;
  • Help you find appropriate medical care in instances of violent crime such as assault or rape;
  • Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities, and contact family members or friends; and,
  • Help you understand the local criminal justice process and can direct you to local attorneys, although the local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Serbia is 92.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Serbia, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. In some places you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. In Belgrade, you are not allowed to take pictures of the old annex to the Ministry of Defense building or the old Ministry of the Interior building. In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. Criminal penalties vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States; for instance, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Serbia, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going. 

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Serbia, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. Embassy of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the Embassy

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: People who are citizens of both the United States and Serbia may be affected by certain laws that put special responsibilities on Serbian citizens. The Serbian Parliament recently annulled the requirement for men between 18 and 27 years of age to perform military service. Men who evaded military service in the past will not be prosecuted. Please contact the citizenship unit of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade if you have specific questions about the rights and responsibilities of dual nationals (citizens of both the U.S. and Serbia). For additional general information, see our Citizenship and Nationality information.

Regulations on Bringing Money into Serbia: If you bring more than the 10,000 Euros in cash (or an equal amount in another or other currencies) to Serbia, you will have to declare it when you arrive. When you declare large sums of money, Serbian customs will give you a declaration that you will have to show them again when you leave. Serbian customs agents can take your money permanently or charge you heavy fines if you don’t follow their customs rules. Please review our Customs Information for additional details.

Registration with Local Authorities: If you are staying in a private home, you must register with the local police station with authority over the area where you are staying within 24 hours of arriving in Serbia. If you don’t register, you might have to pay a fine, go to jail, or be deported. If you don’t register you may also have difficulty with the airport police when you try to leave the country. If you are staying in a hotel or other public place (like a hostel, motel, or private campground), it is customary that management will register you with the police. You can learn more about registering with local authorities on the Government of Serbia website.

Accessibility: While in Serbia, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. While new buildings are required to be accessible to persons with disabilities, travelers may encounter difficulties in accessing older buildings, outdoor tourist sites, hotels, and public transport. Sidewalks and paths to buildings and tourist sites are often uneven. Hotels frequently do not have elevators. Public transportation is provided free of charge to persons with disabilities under certain circumstances. Travelers should check with the public transportation company in the city they plan to visit to see if they qualify for this service.

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Many doctors and other health care providers in Serbia are highly trained, but the equipment and hygiene in hospitals, clinics, and ambulances are usually not up to Western standards. You can get many medicines and basic medical supplies at private pharmacies, but you shouldn’t expect to find the same kinds or brands of medication or medical supplies in Serbia that you can get in the United States. Hospitals usually require payment in cash for all services, and don’t accept U.S. health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid as payment.

You can find good information on vaccinations and other health precautions, on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.  For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website, which also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

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MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave whether or not your medical insurance will cover you overseas. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:

  • Does my policy apply when I’m out of the United States?
  • Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or a medical evacuation?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctor and hospital visits in other countries. If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in Serbia, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

Roads in Serbia are not always well-maintained, especially in rural areas. During winter months, fog can significantly reduce visibility. Winter fog is extremely heavy in the Vojvodina region between Belgrade and the Hungarian border.

You must wear a seat belt while driving or riding in a car in Serbia. According to Serbian law, a driver with a blood-alcohol level higher than 0.05% is considered intoxicated. Serbian traffic police do carry portable breathalyzers to test drivers. Roadside assistance is available by dialing 987. Other emergency numbers are 92 (police), 93 (fire department), and 94 (ambulance). Metered taxi service is safe and reasonably priced; however, travelers should pay attention to cab meters and listed fares as taxi drivers sometimes try to charge foreigners higher rates. Belgrade and some other large cities in Serbia have public transportation networks, and a nationwide network covers most major cities, but public transportation is often crowded and some lines and vehicles are poorly maintained.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. More specific information concerning Serbian driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax, and required insurance is available at the Serbian Automotive Association's website (information is in Serbian).

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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Serbia’s Civil Aviation Authority as not being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Serbia’s air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

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CHILDREN’S ISSUES: Please see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

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This replaces the Country Specific Information for Serbia dated December 21, 2010.

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